FSU prepares for dramatically improved Duke squad in ACC title game

Upstart Duke stands in the way of FSU making the BCS National Championship Game

December 3, 2013|By Brendan Sonnone, Orlando Sentinel

TALLAHASSEE — This is not your typical Duke team.

Florida State normally doesn't begin in-depth opponent scouting until Tuesday. But by Monday, having just seen snippets of film on the Blue Devils, it was clear to FSU players that this year's version of Duke is different.

"I don't know what they did, but they've got some faster guys than what I remember and they all play together," FSU center Bryan Stork said. "They're very disciplined. They've always been disciplined. They're very smart; they play intelligent. And teams like that, you've got to watch out for."

The No. 1 Seminoles (12-0, 8-0 ACC) face No. 20 Duke (10-2, 6-2 ACC) in Charlotte, N.C., Saturday at 8 p.m. in the ACC Championship Game. Duke, after years of being a doormat in the ACC, has recorded its first 10-win season in school history and is the only obstacle remaining for FSU in its quest to make the BCS National Championship Game.

Duke has not had a winning season since 1994, so seeing the Blue Devils line up across from them in the ACC title game will be a little disorienting for FSU players.

"No," FSU safety Terrence Brooks said with a chuckle when asked if he ever expected to play Duke at this point in the season. "I expect to play in the ACC title game.

"I mean congrats to them, they haven't lost in awhile. I'm pretty sure they're improved in what they're doing, and we can't take them lightly."

The Blue Devils enter Saturday's contest on an eight-game winning streak after dropping their first two conference games.

Duke coach David Cutcliffe, guiding the program's drastic turnaround, was named the ACC's coach of the year for a second-consecutive season.

Regarded as a keen offensive mind, Cutcliffe has been creative in making Blue Devils relevant. FSU coach Jimbo Fisher compared Duke's offense to his own in that the Blue Devils utilize a platoon of playmakers.

Five Duke players have more than 200 rushing yards and Cutcliffe frequently rotates quarterbacks Anthony Boone and Brandon Connette. The biggest offensive standout for Duke is receiver Jamison Crowder, who has 88 receptions for 1,131 yards.

"The kid is doing some nice things over there, congrats to him," Brooks said of Crowder. "He's definitely good, definitely someone you have to watch out for.

"To me, how I feel about confidence in our secondary and out team, you need way more than one player to just dominate and give us a threat. You need a whole team who can pose a threat. I just don't get too worried about one player on the other side of the ball."

Duke's defense is 37th nationally, allowing 23 points per game, and is led by three first team All-ACC players: linebacker Kelby Brown and defensive backs Ross Cockrell and Jeremy Cash.

FSU players don't appear to be afraid of Duke's momentum, but they respect the team's radical upswing.

"Those guys have a lot of confidence and believe in what their coach is telling them, and they've been executing," FSU defensive back Lamarcus Joyner said. "Now you just see a group of guys that believe in each other, and when you have a belief, you can do a lot of wonders, man. . . . I just see a team that believes in each other and has a great coach and some smart players, and I mean, they're on a roll."